2018 PhysicsBowl

How the Contest Works

Each year, approximately 10,000 students take a 40-question, 45-minute timed, multiple-choice test under their school’s supervision. The 2018 exam will be given between March 28 and April 13, 2018. Exam questions are based on topics and concepts covered in a typical high school physics course.

To enhance the distribution of awards, Division I is for first-year physics students and Division II is for second-year physics students. Each Division has 14 regions that have been established across the country to allow schools in each region to compete against one another. Specialized math and science schools compete in their own region. We have established five regions specifically for China, regions 15 through 19. Schools in China will register via ASDAN China. For more information regarding registering in China, please contact physics@seedasdan.org, website http://www.seedasdan.org/AAPT_en.jsp

Note: School Team scores are determined by the sum of the scores of the top five students competing.

Proctoring Requirements for the PhysicsBowl Contest

The PhysicsBowl exam MUST be proctored. It is expected that competitors will take the exam at their local school. Home schooled students should contact nearby high schools, community colleges, or universities to ask if they can take the exam there.

In order to verify the identity of exam proctors, we ask that email addresses be official school email addresses whenever possible, ideally associated with a school district or an accredited private school. If you are unable to provide an official school email, then you will need to provide additional contact information for your organization in order to verify your identity and the identity of the organization.

The requirements for the proctor are that they not be a relative of the student(s) taking the exam. Proctors should have at least a 2 year degree, though this degree does not need to be related to physics. Librarians would make a suitable proctor, and a student may take the test at a library, assuming that the librarian will be able to observe the test taking to ensure the integrity of the process (parents will need to register, and then provide proctor information).

Testing centers will need to acknowledge that they are a testing center, and provide a web address to verify their status. Unfortunately, the immediate parents of a home schooled student are not acceptable proctors; in such cases, parents will need to arrange for a non-relative proctor, preferably a teacher at a local school.

PLEASE NOTE: AAPT does not refer or arrange test centers, teachers or proctors for the PhysicsBowl Contest.

SPONSORS/SUPPORTERS

For more details and information about the PhysicsBowl, please contact AAPT's Programs department at 301-209-3340 or programs@aapt.org